This invention relates to a solid state Quantum high Energy density Storage Or Retrieval device known as a quensor, and the trademark ENSOR(trademark), having an energy density of about 1-15 kwhr/kg, comparable to gasoline, or more to a theoretical limit of about 75 kwhr/kg, is described. A fundamentally new principle is employed: A quensor film comprises oriented molecules with donor and acceptor groups, and with metal layers on the film surfaces. A dipole electric field may be established in the gap between a donor and an acceptor. Electric energy is stored in or retrieved from dipole electric fields throughout the volume of the quensor film. Electric energy is stored in the quensor film by charging the dipole electric fields from an electric energy source. Electric energy is retrieved from a quensor film by discharging the dipole electric fields and supplying the energy to a load. Electric breakdown in the film is avoided because positive and negative electric charges in the film are balanced everywhere. Busbars attached to the first and second metal layers are connected to terminals for charging or discharging the device.
In one embodiment the composite film comprises a plurality of stretch-oriented polymer chains with pendant donor and acceptor groups, and a gap between the donor and acceptor. In another embodiment the composite film comprises molecules with donor acceptor groups, and a gap between an adjacent donor and an acceptor, the molecules being electroordered and fixed in position.
This invention also relates to the manufacture of a quensor film.
This invention further relates to a composite photovoltaic and quensor panel for the storage or retrieval of solar-electric energy day or night on demand.
03.
Quensor: A quantum energy storage or retrieval device
q-line: In a quensor, a line having a repeated pattern comprising an acceptor covalently linked to a donor and a gap between a donor and an adjacent acceptor.
Cell Configuration of a Unit Volume of Energy Storage or Retrieval.
Composite Film: A quensor polymer film between first and second outer metal layers on the film surfaces.
Covalent Bond: Elements such as Carbon tend to acquire their electron octets by sharing orbital electrons.[1.1] Example: 
Electron Affinity: The energy gained by an electron from the electric field when it is acquired by an an atom or molecule. An element on the far right of the periodic table may acquire an electron to produce the stable electronic orbital configuration of the next higher noble gas. [2.41]
F+exe2x88x92xe2x86x92Fxe2x88x92xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
xe2x80x839 electrons 10 electrons; same as neon
Group: An assembly of one or more atoms, usually attached to another atom or molecule by one or more covalent bonds.
Donor: A group characterized by the loss of electron, producing a positive ion.
Acceptor: A group characterized by an affinity for, and a gain of an electron. The electron is trapped by the acceptor, which becomes a negative ion.
Electric Dipole Field: Before the loss of an electron from a donor the internal positive and negative charges of the donor are balanced and close together. When an electron is removed from a donor group across a gap to an acceptor group, the donor becomes a positive ion, the acceptor becomes a negative ion, and electric energy is supplied from an external source to create an dipole electric field in the gap.
Spacer: A group forming an insulating bridge across the tunnel distance between a donor group and an acceptor group.
Gap: The tunnel distance between a donor and an acceptor, which may be-free space, or a spacer. In an electric field an electron may tunnel from a donor to an acceptor across a gap; or, in no field, less frequently, may spontaneously tunnel back.
Critical Range: A tunnel distance of 7 xc3x85 to 30 xc3x85 between donor and acceptor.
Linker: A group linking a donor and an acceptor.
Pillar: A rigid insulating structural group used as a crosslinking spacer between polymer chains.
Induced Dipole: An electric dipole in a group of atoms temporarily produced by a displaced electric charge without ionization of the group of atoms. An induced dipole, also known as the vector quantity xe2x80x9cPolarization Pxe2x80x9d [5.1], exists only in the presence of an electric field.
Positive Electron Affinity: The Electric Energy Output to the electric circuit from an atom or group due to the addition of an electron to the atom or group. An Acceptor Group having a positive electron affinity attracts an electron.[2.4, 3.2]
Negative Electron Affinity: The Electric Energy Input from an electric circuit to a group to add an electron to the group. A Group with negative electron affinity repels an electron.[3.2]
Ionization Potential: The electric energy to remove an electron from an outer orbital of an atom or group of atoms.[1.3, 3.1]
Electric Energy Storage: In a quensor electric energy is stored in an dipole electric field. The dipole electric field exists in the gap between the electric charges on the positive and negative ions. The donor becomes a positively charged ion by the loss of an electron from its outer quantum orbital; and the acceptor becomes a negative ion by its outer quantum orbital acquiring an electron. The electric energy is supplied by an external electric energy source. The electric energy is stored while the dipole electric field exists.[3]
Electric Energy Retrieval: Conversely, in a quensor electric energy is retrieved from the dipole electric field by neutralizing the positive and negative charges on its ions. The electric dipole field ceases to exist when its electric energy is transferred to the load.
Electret: A dielectric material exhibiting quasi-permanent electric charge storage. [10]
Void: An empty volume of space, a vacuum containing no atoms, having a dielectric constant defined as 1.00.
ENSOR(trademark): is trademark owned by the inventor, and an acronym for ENergy Storage Or Retrieval.
04.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,019 entitled xe2x80x9cElectroordered Dipole Suspensionxe2x80x9d issued Apr. 10, 1984 to Alvin M. Marks, filed Jan. 5, 1981, Ser. No. 222377, and related U.S. Application data; U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,624 issued Jul. 20, 1993 to Alvin M. Marks entitled xe2x80x9cLight-Polarizing Electrically-Conducting Filmxe2x80x9d, filed Oct. 1, 1990, Ser. No. 591,051. The subject matter of said patents is included herein in whole or in part, by reference.
05.
An efficient low cost energy storage or retrieval device is critically needed to eliminate pollution by substituting for gasoline in automotive vehicles, and for many other uses. Energy storage or retrieval devices known to the art other than nuclear and combustible fuel for heat engines are: conventional capacitors, electrochemical supercapacitors, electromagnetic energy storage rings including superconducting electromagnetic energy storage rings, and storage batteries. At this time, storage batteries are the preferred electric energy storage or retrieval devices. The state of the art on storage batteries was recently summarized. [6] In Table I the energy density storage capability and other pertinent characteristics of prior art and projected storage batteries are compared with the device of the present invention. The last column shows comparative values estimated for the ENDOR(trademark) energy storage or retrieval device of this invention.
The electric energy storage per unit weight of a conventional capacitor of the prior art is limited by the maximum sustainable electric field in the insulating layer at breakdown. In a conventional capacitor the electric breakdown field in the insulating layer is usually less than 2xc3x97107 V/m (500 V/mil).[7] The electric breakdown of the insulating layer is caused by local ionization of its atoms or molecules, which produce free electrons, secondary ionization, and an avalanche of free electrons which gain energy and punch a hole in the layer, causing a short circuit.
Recent work with xe2x80x9cultrathinxe2x80x9d layer capacitors shows that electric field intensity may approach 8xc3x97108 volts/m. in an insulator thickness of 50-100 xc3x85 [7, 8]; an electric field intensity of about 40xc3x97 the conventional electrical breakdown field. In these capacitors, electric breakdown due to an electron avalanche: (1) cannot start if the applied voltage is less than the ionization potential of the material, to about 10-15 volts, (2) cannot propagate if the layer thickness between conductors is too small to support secondary ionization, less than about 200 xc3x85, (3) the thickness is sufficiently great to prevent electron tunnelling, exceeding about 40 xc3x85. [20.1, 21]
The double-layer-capacitor (DLC) concept is old in the art.[9] It employs porous carbon electrodes and an electrolyte, and is not solid state. A DLC dipole layer may support large electric fields at a low voltage: 1 to 1.6 volts across a spacing of about 2 A, or 2xc3x9710xe2x88x9210 m; that is, 0.8xc3x971010 V/m. In a DLC the sustainable electric field is increased by a factor of 400 over that of a conventional capacitor. However the utility of a DLC has been limited by the small perating voltage and excessive current leakage through the layer, which causes rapid discharge.
An electric charge may be stored in an electret (1) by poling or rotating an electrically charged group of atoms in the direction of an electric field (2) usually near the surface of a thin sheet. The greatest reported storage of electric charge density is small: about 1xc3x9710xe2x88x922 C/m2 [10.1]
The electric energy storage or retrieval device of this invention is in a distinctly new class:
1. A quensor is a solid state device, a thin polymer film having a molecular structure ordered by stretch-orientation and an electric field, a pendant donor group, a tunnelling gap, and a pendant acceptor group, and first and second metal layers on the surfaces of the film. Alternatively, in a quensor, the molecular structure may be electroordered.[24]
2. In a quensor, the donor group preferably has a high ionization potential. The donor group may be a carbon halide. [3,11,12] As a donor, fluorine has the greatest ionization potential, and as an acceptor fluorine has a high electron affinity. The donor is positively ionized by losing an electron, and the acceptor is negatively ionized by gaining an electron. In one embodiment, a fluorine atoms acts as a donor [2.3,3.1]; and, an adjacent fluorine atom acts as an acceptor.[2.4,3.2]
3. In a quensor, the gap between donor and acceptor is 5 xc3x85 to 30 xc3x85.[21 An electron may tunnel across the gap to establish a dipole electric field. Energy from an electric energy source is required to create the dipole electric field. The net electric energy stored in the dipole electric field is calculated in Sec. 08.22. An external electric energy source charges the dipole electric fields of the quensor film. Electric energy supplied to a load discharges the dipole electric fields of the quensor film.
4. There is no buildup of high voltage in the film due to space charge, because the electric charges in each cell are always balanced. The system is analogous to a plurality of condensers in series in an electric circuit. Electric energy is simultaneously stored in, or retrieved from the electric fields between the adjacent plates of all the condensers; and similarly, in a quensor, from the electric fields between adjacent donors and acceptors.
5. Electric energy from an electric energy source supplied to a cell creates a positive ion and a negative ion, and establishes a dipole electric field in the gap between them. Electric energy from the cell supplied to the load discharges the dipole electric field. An electron may only move back and forth within a cell. Each cell has atomic scale dimensions, hence electric energy may be stored in high density throughout the volume of a film. The energy density is calculated to be about 15 kWhr/kg, or more.[Sec. 08.22 and FIG. 4.]
6. To store electric energy in a quensor film, a voltage from an electric power source is applied to thes metal layers on its surfaces. The electric energy is stored in dipole electric fields throughout the volume of the quensor film.
7. In retrieving electric energy, the metal layers of the quensor film are connected to a load, the dipole electric fields throughout the volume of the quensor film are discharged, and the stored electric energy from these fields is delivered to the load.
8. The device of this invention is solid state. There is no chemical reaction. Energy is stored or released by the motion of electrons in the cells throughout the quensor film. Comparing the electric energy storage of the present invention with the prior art conventional capacitor, the sustainable electric field is about 1010 v/m an increase by a factor of about 500. Because of the atomic scale of each cell, electron motion is confined to small distances where the laws of quantum mechanics prevail; and in which no electron avalanche and no electric breakdown occurs. This enables an enormous increase in the electric energy storage or retrieval per unit weight; of the order of about 1-15 kWhr/kg, or more; and solves the problems of the prior art.
0.6.
It is an object of this invention to provide an electric storage or retrieval device having about the same electric energy storage as the useful mechanical energy provided by an equal weight of gasoline; that is, about 15 kWhr/kg.; or 54,000 kJ/kg.[Sect 08.21]
It is a further object of this invention to provide an electric energy storage device made of noncombustible and nontoxic materials.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an electric storage device with a small leakage factor, to enable the stored electric energy to remain available over long periods of time.
An object of this invention is to eliminate air pollution due to the combustion of oil or gasoline from the exhaust of gases from the automobile, which add carbon dioxide and toxic pollutants to the atmosphere, contributing to the Greenhouse Effect and to respiratory disease due to Smog.
An important object of this invention is to provide a low-cost solid state electric energy source as a substitute for gasoline, having about the same energy/weight ratio, to enable an electric drive to replace the gasoline engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an electric storage device which is simple to manufacture and low enough in cost to compete successfully with gasoline, making the use of an electric car feasible for long distance travel.
It is a still further object of this invention to universally provide a solid state high energy/weight ratio electric energy storage or retrieval device for cars, planes, spacecraft, computers, TV and for a myriad of other uses.
It is an important object of this invention to provide a solid state device for the storage of electric energy from a solar electric energy source, or for connection to an electric circuit for electric energy utilization on demand.
07.